| 10785414 |
Malevamides A-C, new depsipeptides from the marine cyanobacterium Symploca laete-viridis |
10.1021/np990449+. |
J Nat Prod |
Malevamides A-C, new depsipeptides from the marine cyanobacterium Symploca laete-viridis
Abstract
- Three new depsipeptides, malevamides A-C (1-3), were isolated from the cyanobacterium Symploca laete-viridis collected off the south shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Compounds 1-3 were identified by spectral methods, and partial stereochemical assignments were made by chiral HPLC of the hydrolyzed compounds. At a concentration of 2 microg/mL, compounds 1-3 were inactive against P-388, A-549, and HT-29 cancer cells.
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| 10790850 |
Accurate mass measurement of low molecular weight compounds by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry |
10.1016/S1044-0305(00)00109-4. |
J Am Soc Mass Spectrom |
Accurate mass measurement of low molecular weight compounds by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry
Abstract
- We report the application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for the accurate measurement of mass of low molecular weight compounds (smaller than 1500 Da), a linear peptide, two types of cyclic depsipeptides, a polyhydroxy-macrocyclic lactone, and two prenylated flavonoids, with delayed extraction in the reflector mode. The performance of the MALDI-TOF instrument was less than those of fast atom bombardment and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry instruments and insufficient to give acceptable accuracy for literature reporting. Nevertheless, when combined with NMR spectrometry and/or amino acid analysis to give information on the numbers of carbon atoms and index of hydrogen deficiency, MALDI was useful for determination of the elemental composition of the low molecular weight compounds available in small quantities.
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| 10801322 |
Squash trypsin inhibitors from Momordica cochinchinensis exhibit an atypical macrocyclic structure |
10.1021/bi9929756. |
Biochemistry |
Squash trypsin inhibitors from Momordica cochinchinensis exhibit an atypical macrocyclic structure
Abstract
- Three trypsin inhibitors (TIs), from the seeds of the squash Momordica cochinchinensis (MCo), have been isolated and purified using gel filtration, ion exchange chromatography, and reverse-phase HPLC. Their sequences could be determined only after proteolytic cleavages. In the case of MCoTI-I and -II, it was shown that their polypeptide backbones are cyclic, a structure that has never been described in squash TIs. They contain 34 amino acid residues with 3 disulfide bridges and measured molecular masses of 3453.0 and 3480.7, respectively. They are the largest known macrocyclic peptides containing disulfide bridges. Their sequences show strong homology to other squash TIs, suggesting a similar three-dimensional structure and an analogous mechanism of action. A model of MCoTI-II was constructed by analogy to the crystal structure of the complex between bovine trypsin and CMTI-I, indicating that the linker connecting the two termini is flexible and does not impose significant geometrical constraints. This flexibility allows an Asp-Gly peptide bond rearrangement to occur in this region, giving rise to two isoforms of MCoTI-II. Although the importance of cyclization is not clear, it might confer increased stability and resistance to proteolysis. A minor species, MCoTI-III, was also characterized as containing 30 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 3379.6. This component possesses a linear backbone with a blocked N-terminus. MCoTIs represent interesting candidates for drug design, either by changing their specificity of inhibition or by using their structure as natural scaffolds bearing new binding activities.
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| 10803466 |
Evidence for an interaction between the insulin receptor and Grb7. A role for two of its binding domains, PIR and SH2 |
10.1038/sj.onc.1203469 |
Oncogene |
Evidence for an interaction between the insulin receptor and Grb7. A role for two of its binding domains, PIR and SH2
Abstract
- The molecular adapter Grb7 is likely to be implicated in the development of certain cancer types. In this study we show that Grb7 binds the insulin receptors, when they are activated and tyrosine phosphorylated. This interaction is documented by two-hybrid experiments, GST pull-down assays and in vivo coimmunoprecipitations. In addition, our results argue in favor of a preferential association between Grb7 and the insulin receptors when compared to other tyrosine kinase receptors like the EGF receptor, the FGF receptor and Ret. Interestingly, Grb7 is not a substrate of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity. Grb7 binds the activated tyrosine kinase loop of the insulin receptors. Two domains of Grb7 are implicated in the insulin receptor binding: the SH2 domain and the PIR (phosphotyrosine interacting region). The role of these two domains in the interaction with the insulin receptor was already reported for Grb10 and Grb14, the other members of the Grb7 family of proteins. However, the relative importance of these domains varies, considering the receptor and the Grb protein. These differences should be a determinant of the specificity of the receptor tyrosine kinase-Grbs binding, and thus of the implication of Grb7/10/14 in signal transduction.
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| 10805725 |
Class II phosphoinositide 3-kinases are downstream targets of activated polypeptide growth factor receptors |
10.1128/MCB.20.11.3817-3830.2000. |
Mol Cell Biol |
Class II phosphoinositide 3-kinases are downstream targets of activated polypeptide growth factor receptors
Abstract
- The class II phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) PI3K-C2alpha and PI3K-C2beta are two recently identified members of the large PI3K family. Both enzymes are characterized by the presence of a C2 domain at the carboxy terminus and, in vitro, preferentially utilize phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate as lipid substrates. Little is understood about how the catalytic activity of either enzyme is regulated in vivo. In this study, we demonstrate that PI3K-C2alpha and PI3K-C2beta represent two downstream targets of the activated epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor in human carcinoma-derived A431 cells. Stimulation of quiescent cultures with EGF resulted in the rapid recruitment of both enzymes to a phosphotyrosine signaling complex that contained the EGF receptor and Erb-B2. Ligand addition also induced the appearance of a second, more slowly migrating band of PI3K-C2alpha and PI3K-C2beta immunoreactivity on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Since both PI3K enzymes can utilize Ca(2+) as an essential divalent cation in lipid kinase assays and since the catalytic activity of PI3K-C2alpha is refractory to the inhibitor wortmannin, these properties were used to confirm the recruitment of each PI3K isozyme to the activated EGF receptor complex. To examine this interaction in greater detail, PI3K-C2beta was chosen for further investigation. EGF and platelet-derived growth factor also stimulated the association of PI3K-C2beta with their respective receptors in other cells, including epithelial cells and fibroblasts. The use of EGF receptor mutants and phosphopeptides derived from the EGF receptor and Erb-B2 demonstrated that the interaction with recombinant PI3K-C2beta occurs through E(p)YL/I phosphotyrosine motifs. The N-terminal region of PI3K-C2beta was found to selectively interact with the EGF receptor in vitro, suggesting that it mediates the association of this PI3K with the receptor. However, the mechanism of this interaction remains unclear. We conclude that class II PI3K enzymes may contribute to the generation of 3' phosphoinositides following the activation of polypeptide growth factor receptors in vivo and thus mediate certain aspects of their biological activity.
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| 10809709 |
Mutational analysis of the sbo-alb locus of Bacillus subtilis: identification of genes required for subtilosin production and immunity |
10.1128/JB.182.11.3266-3273.2000. |
J Bacteriol |
Mutational analysis of the sbo-alb locus of Bacillus subtilis: identification of genes required for subtilosin production and immunity
Abstract
- The Bacillus subtilis 168 derivative JH642 produces a bacteriocin, subtilosin, which possesses activity against Listeria monocytogenes. Inspection of the amino acid sequence of the presubtilosin polypeptide encoded by the gene sboA and sequence data from analysis of mature subtilosin indicate that the precursor subtilosin peptide undergoes several unique and unusual chemical modifications during its maturation process. The genes of the sbo-alb operon are believed to function in the synthesis and maturation of subtilosin. Nonpolar mutations introduced into each of the alb genes resulted in loss or reduction of subtilosin production. sboA, albA, and albF mutants showed no antilisterial activity, indicating that the products of these genes are critical for the production of active subtilosin. Mutations in albB, -C, and -D resulted in reduction of antilisterial activity and decreased immunity to subtilosin, particularly under anaerobic conditions. A new gene, sboX, encoding another bacteriocin-like product was discovered residing in a sequence overlapping the coding region of sboA. Construction of an sboX-lacZ translational fusion and analysis of its expression indicate that sboX is induced in stationary phase of anaerobic cultures of JH642. An in-frame deletion of the sboX coding sequence did not affect the antilisterial activity or production of or immunity to subtilosin. The results of this investigation show that the sbo-alb genes are required for the mechanisms of subtilosin synthesis and immunity.
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| 10811882 |
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum: mutations in the MRP6 gene encoding a transmembrane ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter |
10.1073/pnas.100041297. |
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A |
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum: mutations in the MRP6 gene encoding a transmembrane ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter
Abstract
- Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), the prototypic heritable connective tissue disorder affecting the elastic structures in the body, manifests with cutaneous, ophthalmologic, and cardiovascular findings, with considerable morbidity and mortality. The molecular basis of PXE has remained unknown, but the disease locus has recently been mapped to an approximately 500-kb interval on chromosome 16p13.1, without evidence for locus heterogeneity. In this study, we report pathogenetic mutations in MRP6, a member of the ABC transporter gene family, in eight kindreds with PXE. The mutation detection strategy consisted of heteroduplex scanning of coding sequences in the MRP6 gene, which were amplified by PCR by using genomic DNA as template, followed by direct nucleotide sequencing. A total of 13 mutant MRP6 alleles were disclosed in the eight probands with PXE. These genetic lesions consisted of either single base pair substitutions resulting in missense, nonsense, or splice site mutations, or large deletions resulting in allelic loss of the MRP6 locus. Examination of clinically unaffected family members in four multiplex families identified heterozygous carriers, consistent with an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. Collectively, identification of mutations in the MRP6 gene provides the basis to examine the pathomechanisms of PXE and allows development of DNA-based carrier detection, prenatal testing, and preimplantation genetic diagnosis in families with a history of this disease.
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| 10813905 |
Cycloviolins A-D, anti-HIV macrocyclic peptides from Leonia cymosa |
10.1021/jo990952r. |
J Org Chem |
Cycloviolins A-D, anti-HIV macrocyclic peptides from Leonia cymosa
Abstract
- Four novel anti-HIV macrocyclic peptides containing 28-31 amino acid residues, named cycloviolins A-D, have been isolated from the hitherto unstudied tropical plant Leonia cymosa. Their primary structure, including amino acid composition and sequence, was determined by a combination of MALDI-TOF and FAB MS and by enzymatic digestion of reduced derivatives, followed by Edman degradation and mass analyses. All of the cycloviolins contain six cysteines, which are present as three intramolecular disulfide bridges. Intriguingly, cycloviolins A-D showed high degrees of sequence homology to the known cyclopsychotride A and circulins A and B from the Rubiaceae family but much less homology to the varv peptides from Viola, a member of the same family (Violaceae).
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| 10813950 |
cis,cis- and trans,trans-ceratospongamide, new bioactive cyclic heptapeptides from the Indonesian red alga Ceratodictyon spongiosum and symbiotic sponge Sigmadocia symbiotica |
10.1021/jo991165x. |
J Org Chem |
cis,cis- and trans,trans-ceratospongamide, new bioactive cyclic heptapeptides from the Indonesian red alga Ceratodictyon spongiosum and symbiotic sponge Sigmadocia symbiotica
Abstract
- Chemical investigation of the marine red alga (Rhodophyta) Ceratodictyon spongiosum containing the symbiotic sponge Sigmadocia symbiotica collected from Biaro Island, Indonesia, yielded two isomers of a new and bioactive thiazole-containing cyclic heptapeptide, cis,cis-ceratospongamide (1) and trans, trans-ceratospongamide (2). Isolation of these peptides was assisted by bioassay-guided fractionation using a brine shrimp toxicity assay (Artemia salina). The structures of the ceratospongamides, which each consist of two L-phenylalanine residues, one (L-isoleucine)-L-methyloxazoline residue, one L-proline residue, and one (L-proline)thiazole residue, were established through extensive NMR spectroscopy, including (1)H-(13)C HMQC-TOCSY, and (1)H-(15)N HMBC experiments, as well as chemical degradation and chiral analysis. cis,cis- and trans,trans-ceratospongamide are stable conformational isomers of the two proline amide bonds. Molecular modeling of these two ceratospongamide isomers showed the trans, trans isomer to be quite planar, whereas the cis,cis isomer has a more puckered overall conformation. trans,trans-Ceratospongamide exhibits potent inhibition of sPLA(2) expression in a cell-based model for antiinflammation (ED(50) 32 nM), whereas the cis,cis isomer is inactive. trans,trans-Ceratospongamide was also shown to inhibit the expression of a human-sPLA(2) promoter-based reporter by 90%.
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| 10818087 |
Single amino acid substitutions in kappa-conotoxin PVIIA disrupt interaction with the shaker K+ channel |
10.1074/jbc.C900990199. |
J Biol Chem |
Single amino acid substitutions in kappa-conotoxin PVIIA disrupt interaction with the shaker K+ channel
Abstract
- kappa-Conotoxin PVIIA (kappa-PVIIA), a 27-amino acid peptide with three disulfide cross-links, isolated from the venom of Conus purpurascens, is the first conopeptide shown to inhibit the Shaker K(+) channel (Terlau, H., Shon, K., Grilley, M., Stocker, M., Stühmer, W., and Olivera, B. M. (1996) Nature 381, 148-151). Recently, two groups independently determined the solution structure for kappa-PVIIA using NMR; although the structures reported were similar, two mutually exclusive models for the interaction of the peptide with the Shaker channel were proposed. We carried out a structure/function analysis of kappa-PVIIA, with alanine substitutions for all amino acids postulated to be key residues by both groups. Our data are consistent with the critical dyad model developed by Ménez and co-workers (Dauplais, M., Lecoq, A., Song, J. , Cotton, J., Jamin, N., Gilquin, B., Roumestand, C., Vita, C., de Medeiros, C., Rowan, E. G., Harvey, A. L., and Ménez, A. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 4802-4809) for polypeptide antagonists of K(+) channels. In the case of kappa-PVIIA, Lys(7) and Phe(9) are essential for activity as predicted by Savarin et al. (Savarin, P., Guenneugues, M., Gilquin, B., Lamthanh, H., Gasparini, S., Zinn-Justin, S., and Ménez, A. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 5407-5416); these workers also correctly predicted an important role for Lys(25). Thus, although kappa-conotoxin PVIIA has no obvious sequence homology to polypeptide toxins from other venomous animals that interact with voltage-gated K(+) channels, there may be convergent functional features in diverse K(+) channel polypeptide antagonists.
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| 10818260 |
Selective somatostatin sst(2) receptor blockade with the novel cyclic octapeptide, CYN-154806 |
10.1016/s0028-3908(00)00035-6. |
Neuropharmacology |
Selective somatostatin sst(2) receptor blockade with the novel cyclic octapeptide, CYN-154806
Abstract
- The cyclic octapeptide, CYN-154806, inhibited specific [(125)I]-[Tyr(11)]-SRIF binding to CHO-K1 cell membranes expressing human recombinant somatostatin (SRIF) sst(2) receptors (pIC(50) 8. 58) or rat sst(2(a)) and rat sst(2(b)) receptors (pIC(50) 8.35 and 8. 10, respectively). The affinity of CYN-154806 at other human somatostatin receptor types was at least 100 times lower (pIC(50) 5. 41-6.48). In functional studies, CYN-154806 inhibited SRIF-induced increases in extracellular acidification (EAR) in CHO-K1 cells expressing h sst(2) receptors (pK(B) 7.92) but had no effect on UTP-induced increases in EAR. CYN-154806 also blocked SRIF-induced increases [(35)S]-GTPgammaS binding in CHO-K1 cell membranes expressing h sst(2) receptors as well as rat sst(2(a)) and rat sst(2(b)) receptors (pK(B) 7.81, 7.68 and 7.96, respectively). In marked contrast, no blockade was observed at h sst(5) receptors in concentrations as high 10 microM. The antagonistic activity of CYN-154806 was also studied in isolated tissue preparations that are known to express endogenous SRIF receptors. Thus CYN-154806 blocked SRIF, but not DAMGO-induced inhibition of neurogenic contractions in rat isolated vas deferens and guinea-pig ileum (pK(B) 7.79 and 7.49, respectively). CYN-154806 had no effect on SRIF-28 induced inhibition of neurogenic contractions in guinea-pig vas deferens. The results demonstrate that CYN-154806 is a highly potent specific and selective SRIF sst(2) receptor blocking drug. Furthermore, sst(2) receptors mediate SRIF-induced inhibition of neurogenic contractions in rat vas deferens and guinea-pig ileum but not guinea-pig vas deferens which is thought to be mediated by sst(5) receptors.
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| 10822101 |
Purification and characterization of antimicrobial peptides from the skin of the North American green frog Rana clamitans |
10.1016/s0196-9781(00)00178-9. |
Peptides |
Purification and characterization of antimicrobial peptides from the skin of the North American green frog Rana clamitans
Abstract
- Ten peptides with differential growth-inhibitory activity against the gram-positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, the gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli, and the yeast Candida albicans were isolated from an extract of the skin of a North American frog, the green frog Rana clamitans. Ranatuerin-1C (SMLSVLKNLGKVGLGLVACKINKQC), ranalexin-1Ca (FLGGLMKAFPALICAVTKKC), ranalexin-1Cb (FLGGLMKAFPAIICAVTKKC), ranatuerin-2Ca (GLFLDTLKGAAKDVAGKLLEGLKCKIAGC KP), and ranatuerin-2Cb (GLFLDTLKGLAGKLLQGLKCIKAGCKP), are members of three previously characterized families of antimicrobial peptides, first identified in the North American bullfrog Rana catesbeiana. In addition, five structurally related peptides (temporin-1Ca, -1Cb, -1Cc, -1Cd, and -1Ce), comprising 13 amino acid residues and containing a C-terminally alpha-amidated residue, belong to the temporin family first identified in the European common frog Rana temporaria. Peptides belonging to the brevinin-1, brevinin-2, esculentin-1, and esculentin-2 families, previously isolated from the skins of Asian and European Ranid frogs, were not identified in the extract. The data support the hypothesis that the distribution and amino acid sequences of the skin antimicrobial peptides are valuable tools in the identification and classification of Ranid frogs.
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| 10823940 |
Structure of a two-domain chitotriosidase from Serratia marcescens at 1.9- A resolution. |
10.1073/pnas.97.11.5842 |
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A |
Structure of a two-domain chitotriosidase from Serratia marcescens at 1.9- A resolution.
Abstract
- In this paper, we describe the structure of chitinase B from Serratia marcescens, which consists of a catalytic domain with a TIM-barrel fold and a 49-residue C-terminal chitin-binding domain. This chitinase is the first structure of a bacterial exochitinase, and it represents one of only a few examples of a glycosyl hydrolase structure having interacting catalytic and substrate-binding domains. The chitin-binding domain has exposed aromatic residues that contribute to a 55-A long continuous aromatic stretch extending into the active site. Binding of chitin oligomers is blocked beyond the -3 subsite, which explains why the enzyme has chitotriosidase activity and degrades the chitin chain from the nonreducing end. Comparison of the chitinase B structure with that of chitinase A explains why these enzymes act synergistically in the degradation of chitin.
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| 10828493 |
Purification and characterization of antimicrobial and vasorelaxant peptides from skin extracts and skin secretions of the North American pig frog Rana grylio |
10.1016/s0167-0115(00)00107-5. |
Regul Pept |
Purification and characterization of antimicrobial and vasorelaxant peptides from skin extracts and skin secretions of the North American pig frog Rana grylio
Abstract
- Eight peptides with differential growth-inhibitory activity against the gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and the yeast, Candida albicans were isolated from an extract of the skin of the North American pig frog Rana grylio. The primary structures of these antimicrobial peptides were different from previously characterized antimicrobial peptides from Ranid frogs but on the basis of sequence similarities, the peptides may be classified as belonged to four previously characterized peptide families: the ranatuerin-1, ranatuerin-2 and ranalexin families, first identified in the North American bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, and the temporin family first identified in the European common frog Rana temporaria. Peptides belonging to the brevinin-1, brevinin-2, esculentin-1, and esculentin-2 families, previously isolated from the skins of other species of Ranid frogs, were not identified in the extracts. The ranatuerin-1 and ranalexin peptides showed broadest spectrum of antimicrobial activity whereas the temporins were active only against S. aureus. Synthetic replicates of temporin-1Gb (SILPTIVSFLSKFL.NH(2)) and temporin-1Gd (FILPLIASFLSKFL.NH(2)) produced concentration-dependent relaxation of preconstricted vascular rings from the rat thoracic aorta (EC(50) = 2.4+/-0.1 microM for temporin-1Gb and 2.3+/-0.2 microM for temporin-1Gd). The antimicrobial peptides that were isolated in extracts of the skin R. grylio were present in the same molecular forms in electrically-stimulated skin secretions of the animal demonstrating that the peptides are stored in the granular glands of the skin in their fully processed forms.
|
| 10835642 |
Mutations in a gene encoding an ABC transporter cause pseudoxanthoma elasticum |
10.1038/76102. |
Nat Genet |
Mutations in a gene encoding an ABC transporter cause pseudoxanthoma elasticum
Abstract
- Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a heritable disorder characterized by calcification of elastic fibres in skin, arteries and retina that results in dermal lesions with associated laxity and loss of elasticity, arterial insufficiency and retinal haemorrhages leading to macular degeneration. PXE is usually found as a sporadic disorder, but examples of both autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant forms of PXE have been observed. Partial manifestations of the PXE phenotype have also been described in presumed carriers in PXE families. Linkage of both dominant and recessive forms of PXE to a 5-cM domain on chromosome 16p13.1 has been reported (refs 8,9). We have refined this locus to an 820-kb region containing 6 candidate genes. Here we report the exclusion of five of these genes and the identification of the first mutations responsible for the development of PXE in a gene encoding a protein associated with multidrug resistance (ABCC6).
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